


An essay on Trillian underground songs

by The Nox-Zi Consortium (TranscientNight), The Nox-Zi Consortium (Zikul)



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen, Song Lyrics, Symbionts, Symbiosis Commission, Trills, Underground rebels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 09:16:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10850970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TranscientNight/pseuds/The%20Nox-Zi%20Consortium, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zikul/pseuds/The%20Nox-Zi%20Consortium
Summary: Trill is a paradise world ...or is it? While the Symbiosis Commission rules in the light of the Federation, dissident voices rise in the darkness of old caves. Shaped in crude songs, they carry a criticism one would be wise not to form directly.





	An essay on Trillian underground songs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zikul](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zikul/gifts).



> This work is based on a DS9 RP written by nox (TranscientNight) and Zikul, with a focus on Cardassia and Trill. While based on mostly canon facts, most everything hereafter is headcanon. The songs were mostly inspired by Combichrist (This Shit Will Fuck You Up, Enjoy the Abuse, Fuckmachine, etc) and SANTA HATES YOU (Scum, How to Create a Monster) – check them on YouTube for a feel of the sound :D

 

In a splendid world like Trill, known for the brilliance of its scientists, engineers and doctors of all sorts, one could wonder if industrial cyberpunk music is but another eccentricity of a most peculiar specie. Some call it a joke, the Symbiosis Commission has no time to dedicate to this irrelevant topic, and few are the Federation citizens who might know of this _savage_ music.

 

Unable to get an interview from any Commission official, we tried to interview Symbiosis students and received a notification from the Commission, requiring us not to annoy or distract the initiates. While we regret this lack of cooperation on a subject as supposedly harmless as music, we had the pleasure to interview the members of _Joined in Filth_ : Dzuni, Zidija and Mazrad.

 

“What drove you to this genre of music?” I first asked them – they laughed, appreciating that I called their work music.

 

“Trill isn’t a paradise,” Dzuni answered first. “The Federation only seems to see the Joined Trills and pretty landscapes, but there are people living in near destitution. According to the Commission, only ten percent of the population is compatible for Joining, and the percentage of Joined Trills is even lower than that of course. With our music, we wanted to give a voice to the ninety more percent that nobody cares about.”

 

As Zidija shared her story, it turned out more personal and darker. “My parents worked hard to afford studies for my brother, with hopes that he might get Joined and help us out of our misery some more. He was really bright and I was of the opinion he probably didn’t need to get a worm to succeed. But he went through the Commission, even got accepted ...and Joined. He changed. He became a different person, really. They killed him somehow, and then he died for real some months later. Symbiont rejection. I guess making those songs to warn others of the risk of symbiosis is the least I can do.”

 

“I grew up listening to SSS,” Mazrad said. “I’m from an upper middle class family; it’s not really our kind of music, but I was introduced to it by my girlfriend and it stuck with me. It developed my critical thinking, I guess, and gave me a feeling that there were other people out there. People with different opinions. And I figured I _liked_ those opinions because they put something in the balance.”

 

Those were three different views, three different stories. SSS, mentioned by Mazrad, is the acronym by which fans call the disruptive band _Sex Slave Symbiont_ . Their music is everything the name suggests: shocking, brutal and sexual. _Joined in Filth_ follows in this line, with equally crude lyrics, and violent or unhealthy themes.

 

“Your song _Sex Pocket_ nearly got some media coverage due to some health concerns,” I mentioned. The lyrics are the following:

 

 

 

> _I have a worm in my belly, it fucks me up, I suck it up,_
> 
> _I have a slug inside my mouth, it licks you up, I suck you down,_
> 
> _I have a snake inside my pants, you suck it all, I fuck you deep,_
> 
>  
> 
> _You want to get in my sex pocket, I want you too in my sex pocket_
> 
> _They say pockets are not for sex, But they can’t take the fun away,_
> 
> _I put you whole in my S pocket, Let’s do the fuck in my S pocket_
> 
> _They call it my S pocket, I call it sex pocket – S pocket. Sex pocket_
> 
>  
> 
> _Let’s do the fuck in my sex pocket, Party hard in my sex pocket_

 

The group smiled as they listened. “We know that some people did try to do some kinky things with their pocket,” Zidija acknowledged, “but I don’t think we can be credited for the practice altogether. For all we know, the first Trill to get Joined might have been trying to get some pleasure from the squirming of that worm in that cozy place,” she laughed. “Of course, we don’t condone the acts of people who involved pregnancy in those acts – those are complete deviants and their doing has absolutely nothing to do with our music. It’s just convenient to pin it on us. As for health concerns, really, keeping the pouch clean is basic hygiene.”

 

“Our lyrics hold a symbolic value,” Mazrad echoed. “In _Sex Pocket_ , I wanted to reclaim our bodies. The Symbiosis Commission requires of Joined Trills to maintain some sort of puritan lifestyle to be role models for all of Trill’s citizens to look up too. That’s not only arrogant, but also abusive. Sexuality is one of the most natural ways for us to get pleasure and bond with one _or more_ sexual partners,” he grinned. “I don’t see why a symbiont wouldn’t enjoy those experiences. Is it something that risks bringing blush on the cheeks of the newly Joined Trill receiving those memories? And what of us, wormless? Should we be ashamed of having sex? Should we feel lesser because we like to indulge?”

 

“When you get to see kids crying over subspace forums because they had sex or touched themselves, or just have lust and feel dirty because of those things; you know there’s a societal problem,” Dzuni argued. “They want to be like the ‘role models’ the Commission set for us, they think something’s wrong with them, but we wonder what’s wrong with the Commission, rather.”

 

“So you view yourself more like defenders of society?” My question made them wince or shrug a little but they didn’t disagree.

 

“It’s a stretch,” Dzuni put a nuance. “We don’t defend society, we defend a different point of view. Society is too big and too complex to defend _all_ of it. Clearly, we’re not defending the Commission, but we still agree they’re part of society,” he pointed with cunning. “If I said yes to your statement, we would be just like them, telling people what’s right or wrong, and that’s not our business.”

 

“And what about the songs that encourage to illegal practices?” I asked. “Songs such as _Rejoin Me on the Other Side_.”

 

 

 

> _Can you see the stars in my eyes?_
> 
> _They aren’t as many as the galaxy can count,_
> 
> _But they hold all the light we need to live,_
> 
> _And they hold all the love we need to hope,_
> 
> _So take my hand, let’s reach the stars,_
> 
> _Let love go on._
> 
>  
> 
> _Let us be family, let us be lovers,_
> 
> _Let us be love, let us be together._
> 
> _It’s our communion, free from the Commission,_
> 
> _It’s our reunion, our sacred mission._
> 
>  
> 
> _So now tell me, are you afraid?_
> 
> _We can never be alone when we’re together,_
> 
> _Weren’t we already alone among strangers?_
> 
> _Weren’t you already a crowd inside your womb?_
> 
> _We’re not following our bodies, darling,_
> 
> _Love is for all._
> 
>  
> 
> _Let us be family, let us be lovers,_
> 
> _Let us be love, let us be together._
> 
> _It’s our communion, free from the Commission,_
> 
> _It’s our reunion, our sacred mission,_
> 
> _And if we die, rejoin me on the other side._
> 
>  
> 
> _It’s our communion, free from the Commission,_
> 
> _It’s our reunion, our sacred mission,_
> 
> _And if we die, rejoin me on the other side._

 

“First,” Mazrad raised a finger, “we’re not encouraging to suicide. Death is used as a metaphor for exile. Second, rejoining isn’t _illegal_ , juridically speaking. It’s against the _rules_ of the Commission, but it’s not the act of rejoining that is criminal in itself, but the breaking of the trust placed on the host – not that anyone cares to know who of the host, symbiont or both is guilty of pursuing love. Still, in such an eventuality, the Commission sues the host for betrayal of an oath to a governmental institution, and the procedure is the same for any other offense of that type in which both host and symbiont still live to be prosecuted. Criminalizing rejoining isn’t possible, because it would go against a person’s fundamental rights to love whomever they wish to pursue, which would be unconstitutional by Federation standards – Trill couldn’t be part of the Federation if her constitution allowed such blatant discrimination.”

 

“You certainly seem to care about law,” I concluded. “There are rumors that illegal groups would be using your music to target new recruits. What do you think about this accusation?”

 

“If that’s true and you know who those groups are, we’d love to know, because we don’t think they pay us any royalties then!” Zidija laughed. “If that’s the case, I don’t think we can be held responsible for this, although we wouldn’t condone any sort of manipulation, of course. But I don’t think there’s much of a risk. Those people are nothing but conspiracy theorists, and probably perfectly harmless. Annoying, at best. Inexistent at most. It’s all urban legends, like the Ra’Shakiin.”

 

I had to inquire about that one word with which I wasn’t familiar. Dzuni expanded.

 

“It’s just a legend about some ancient sect, probably devoted to the symbionts, worshipping them as gods,” he started. “It’s said they are Guardians bred to protect the Commission. Some rumors have them use their heightened telepathic power to observe all of Trill through the eyes of Joined Trills – some argue that it’s why Joined Trills are discouraged to have too much sex, because it would make the Ra’Shakiin embarrassed as _they_ don’t get to have sex out of their breeding rituals. More worryingly, _if_ you believe in those things, the Ra’Shakiin would make people disappear, especially conspiracy theorists – they do need to be paranoid about something. We’ve been considering to make a song about that, but we’re weighing that with the amount of messages we might receive from conspiracy theorists to figure if it’s worth it.” Whether he joked or not was hard to figure.

 

“Well, that should be all. Any parting words?” I offered.

 

“People can buy our music on subspace, any donation is welcome, we accept most any Federation currency, food, blankets and sex,” Dzuni grinned.

 

“And alcohol,”Zidija added.

 

“And alcohol,” Mazrad repeated, “but mostly money – we’ve got kids to put in good schools in case they want to get Joined.” I couldn’t hide my surprise so he added, “We advocate for freedom. If they want to follow this path, we can’t oppose, _that_ would be abusive, and as such, hypocritical.”

  
I tried to inquire further about this topic, but they reminded me I had declared the interview over. After this interesting meeting, a different light was shed on the group’s lyrics as we listened to Symbiotonic again. Whether the Commission genuinely did not desire to waste time on this topic, or whether It did not desire to fuel the power of an enemy with attention, we leave for the audience to debate – but let it be known to the Ra’Shakiin that we do not advocate in favor of conspiracy theory!

 

* * *

 

**Annexe**

Hereafter are more songs that nurtured our research, from the album Symbiotonic:

 

## Shut Up Motherfucker

_Symbiotonic - track 3; by Joined in Filth_

 

> _You’ve been a man and a woman too,_
> 
> _A doctor, an engineer, a cock sucker,_
> 
> _But not a slut nor a vacuum cleaner._
> 
> _You’ve been a judge and a father too,_
> 
> _A surgeon, a scientist, a whistle blower,_
> 
> _But not a convict nor a grass mower._
> 
>  
> 
> _You’ve done it all, you know it all,_
> 
> _Shut up, motherfucker, shut up!_
> 
> _I’ve heard it all, I know it all,_
> 
> _Shut up, motherfucker, shut up!_
> 
>  
> 
> _You’ve been so many lives and people too,_
> 
> _Captain, politician, new classic writer,_
> 
> _But you’ve never lived by the gutter._
> 
> _You’ve had so many jobs and passions too,_
> 
> _Director, analyst, Starfleet officer,_
> 
> _But you’ve never walked in the sewers._
> 
>  
> 
> _You’ve done it all, you know it all,_
> 
> _Shut up, motherfucker, shut up!_
> 
> _I’ve heard it all, I know it all,_
> 
> _Shut up, motherfucker, shut up!_
> 
>  
> 
> _You know nothing,_
> 
> _And surely no better than I do,_
> 
> _You know nothing,_
> 
> _But what you lived through,_
> 
> _You know nothing,_
> 
> _Don’t pretend you know my life,_
> 
> _Because you don’t!_
> 
> _Shut up, motherfucker, shut up!_

## Swallow My Scum

_Symbiotonic - track 4; by Joined in Filth_

 

> _It’s a bargain for the future,_
> 
> _They’re bragging for tomorrow,_
> 
> _It’s the top they nurture,_
> 
> _While we starve on bottom row,_
> 
>  
> 
> _Feed my brain, master,_
> 
> _Feed my brain, I beg,_
> 
> _You look down at me and say,_
> 
> _Eat if you’re hungry,_
> 
> _Child you can always swallow my scum,_
> 
> _(I always knew you were a dick)_
> 
>  
> 
> _It’s a bargain for the future,_
> 
> _They’re bragging for tomorrow,_
> 
> _It’s the top they nurture,_
> 
> _While we starve on bottom row,_
> 
>  
> 
> _I’d rather grow my seeds,_
> 
> _Than suck it from your dick,_
> 
> _I look down at you and say,_
> 
> _Fap if you’re horny,_
> 
> _I’m not the child who’ll swallow your scum,_
> 
> _(I always knew you were a cunt)_

 

## Careful What You Wish For

_Symbiotonic - track 7; by Joined in Filth_

 

> _Care for what your wish for, for wishes do come true,_
> 
> _Careful what you take in, for it can fuck you through,_
> 
> _Why’d you need a symb inside you, when you can have my dick?_
> 
> _I promise you, sex babe, I can mess you up as much,_
> 
> _Pass your burning ring on my eleventh finger,_
> 
> _We’ll join as one, sex babe, I’ll make you reborn, oh~_
> 
> _Care for what your wish for, for wishes do come true,_
> 
> _Careful what you take in, for it can fuck you through,_
> 
> _And I care for you,_
> 
> _Oh, I care to fuck you_

 

## Snakelash

_ Symbiotonic - track 8; by Joined in Filth _

 

> “ _ Where do you want to put it?  _
> 
> _ You want to put it deep.  _
> 
> _ Paint me alive like I’m a blank canvas. _
> 
> _ You think I’m a blank canvas. _
> 
> _ Maybe you’re colorblind. _
> 
> _ You think I’m a blank canvas. _
> 
> _ Maybe I never learned to paint. _
> 
> _ Paint me black, paint me white. _
> 
> _ Paint me red, paint me blue. _
> 
> _ Is that your brush or are you just happy to see me? _
> 
> _ Can’t escape the snakelash. Can’t escape the snakelash. _
> 
> _ And it escalates. And we put you down. _
> 
> _ And it escalates. And they put you down. _
> 
> __ Can’t escape the snakelash! _ ” _

_asa_

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed that!


End file.
